6/11/2011 Race Recap by Carey Fox

By CAREY FOX
Times Sports Editor
PUTNAMVILLE — Barely 48 hours had passed since fans had witnessed a
barn burner of a show at “Indiana Midget Week” at Lincoln Park http://www.little-cutie.org/cgi-bin/out.cgi?ses=0rNuhli6jl&id=618&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.videoclipa.com
Speedway featuring the USAC Mopar Midgets, but on Saturday, the show
was second-to-none as seven features, three of the make-up variety
due to weather on June 4, left the crowd on the edge of its seats.

The regular weekly show saw a stout field of 28 sprint cars on hand
as Casey Shuman held off a starving wolf pack of hot shoes to claim
the A-main win that saw four drivers in the mix for the checkers off
the final two corners. Shuman held off repeated challenges from
multiple track championship winner, Billy Puterbaugh, along with
Brett Burdett and Jon Stanbrough.

In the UMP Modified feature, Brian Hayden captured his fourth
feature of the season, taking advantage of the final lap mechanical
woes of Schuyler Nahre to take the victory.

The UMP Super Stock win went to Doug McCullough, who was able to
make a masterful pass on the bottom of a quicksilver fast, Kenny
Carmichael Sr., to score his first LPS victory of the season.
Scott Tidwell claimed a well deserved, first career bomber win as he
fended off a dogged challenge from Jordan Almanza and Harry
Shepherd.

Three, rained out, make-up features started the night off as the UMP
Modifieds took the green flag with Brad Barrow pulling away to claim
the feature win in his Diamond Race Car No. 9H. His A-Main win came
in the Robertson Lawn Care, Lucas Oil, Finish Line Raceway, DK
Designs, AmVet-sponsored machine powered by a Travis Kern Racing
Engine.

Josh Burton is no stranger to victory lane at LPS and he found it
once more as he battled with Kenny Carmichael Sr. to the checkers
for the UMP Super Stock feature victory in the Jerry Burton
Masonry-sponsored ride.

The final make-up feature was scored by Ben Williams in the bomber
class, as he powered to the finish line in his Steinway-built race
care sponsored by Specialty Grafix, Creative Sources and Durabuilt
Racing.

The sprint cars opened the regular card of racing as Shuman started
on the pole ahead of Burdette, Puterbaugh and Ethan Barrow. However,
Stanbrough, who started14th in the main event, couldn’t be discounted
from the opening wave of the flag.

Shuman held the point from the beginning, but was firmly in the
cross hairs of deadeye sprint pilots behind him. Puterbaugh, was
locked in and looking for an opening as the laps clicked off, but
Burdette was several car lengths behind as Matt Goodnight gave chase
ahead of Max McGhee, Stanbrough and Rick Vaughn.

Lap-after-lap, Puterbaugh looked to add his second feature win of
the week, following Wednesday’s score at Gas City. However, Shuman
held tight to the lead,working the top of turns one and two and the
bottom of the final two corners.

The Arizona-native was zeroed in on Saturday night, working a
perfect line and never opening up a gap for Puterbaugh to make a
move. However, Stanbrough was creeping steadily through the field to
challenge Burdette for the third spot with McGhee in tow. Seth
Parker and Ethan Barrow were battling behind them before Jonathan
Vennard was collected in turn four and got upside down to halt the
field late.

With two laps left, Shuman was perfect on the re-start, opening a
small gap as Puterbaugh went to the top in search of the victory.
However, his last shot went for naught, as he got loose off of turn
four, which opened a spot for Burdette.

Burdette rocketed to the checkers in second ahead of Stanbrough and
Puterbaugh.

In the UMP Modified feature, Chad Combs locked hold of the lead as
front row starter Ryan Cary jumped the cushion and slipped back into
the mix. Combs held tight to that lead as Nahre and Kenny Carmichael
Sr. locked horns side-by-side ahead of Barrow and Hayden.

Combs briefly held a several car length lead before Nahre gathered
him in and attempted to find space underneath for a pass in turns
three and four. Nahre made contact with Combs coming out of turn
four and spun the leader to bring out the caution flag.

The re-start saw Combs on the tail and Nahre holding the late lead
as Hayden and Carmichael went door-to-door for second with Barrow firmly
challenging for the position.

With one lap remaining it looked as if Nahre would pick up his first
win at LPS this season, but he would pull off the track after taking
the white flag as Hayden overtook him and scored the feature victory
in the Indiana Openwheel.com, Cyclone Custom Products, Ottawa Homes No. 2H.

The UMP Super Stock feature was a battle to the wire with Kenny
Carmichael Sr.jumping to the lead early and holding down the bottom
line as Kenny Carmichael Jr. and Slick Griffin led McCullough early.

However, McCullough wasn’t going to be denied as he bided his time and
slipped into second ahead of Carmichael Jr., who had chosen the
topside. McCullough waited for his chance and split the eye of the
needle under Carmichael Sr. out of turn four to claim the point.

Once he grabbed the lead, McCullough made it count in the Shafer’s
Collision, Patterson Driveline, Durabuilt Racing, Finer Detailing,
Freeman Signs, Hobbs Chassis, No. 19m.
McCullough built upon his lead over the final few laps to score the
victory.
The final feature of the night saw Tidwell battle past Shepherd over
the first half of the race and then held Jordan Almanza over the
final lap as Shepherd placed third ahead of Tony Tidwell and Bob
Farris. Tidwell’s win complemented his second-place finish in the
evening’s make-up feature.
Next week will include the Super Stock Summer 30 with $500-to-win
along with sprints, modifieds and bombers.